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Improvisation ideas and alternative notation for pupils who do not read and more. Read about the benefits experienced by learning disabled people when they have been given the opportunity to play a musical instrument. See what has been done by others.

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Join in discussions and share ideas about teaching and learning musical instruments for and by the learning disabled. Encourage others with your success stories.

News Letter - September 2009

Click here to open the full news letter 

 This is the last news letter that we will be sending in the present format.  It is going to be much more cost effective if we post our news on the website both in terms of time and money.  Instead there will be a dedicated section of the website which will keep you abreast of all our latest news.  If you do not have access to a computer and are one of those who would really appreciate having a postal update, please let us know.

The Trustees have been working on a regular basis to promote the benefits of playing a musical instrument for children and young people with a learning disability.  Special Virtuosi Manchester, the brain child of Noriko Tsuzaki, graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music, is a project which takes place at the Royal Northern College on a Thursday evening.  Learning disabled children and young people come and join in creative music sessions, have the opportunity to play a musical instrument and play in ensemble with one to one support from the tutors.  See http://www.specialvirtuosi.org.uk/ 

We are pleased to announce the launch of Special Virtuosi Birmingham which is due to start at Birmingham Conservatoire on September 28th.  The project in Birmingham will have two outcomes:

  • It will offer learning disabled children and young people the same opportunities to make music as the project in Manchester.
  • Because the tutors will be recruited from 2nd and 3rd year Conservatoire students, there will be a two year turn over and we will see a steady flow of new instrumental teachers into the profession who have gained experience in teaching people with a learning disability.

There will now be no further Show Case Concerts in Birmingham in June because Special Virtuosi Birmingham will have its own concerts at the end of each term to which the public will be invited.  The same is the case in Manchester.  Concerts in Manchester will be advertised on their website.  Concerts in Birmingham will be, for the time being, advertised on the Melody website.

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